Tag: Tee Higgins

How does Bills trading Stefon Diggs impact Tee Higgins, Bengals?

Does the Stefon Diggs trade impact the Bengals and Tee Higgins at all?

Inevitably, there are going to be some comparisons between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills right about now considering how they’ve handled their star wide receivers.

The Bengals remain in a mini-standoff with franchise-tagged star Tee Higgins. Those Bills just pulled off a stunner of a trade, sending Stefon Diggs and two draft picks to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick.

But for those who think the trade might signal that Higgins is worth quite a bit more on the trade market, that isn’t necessarily the case.

All it might mean is the Bengals have picked the right course of action.

Most of it comes down to the Bills just wanting to get out of the Diggs situation entirely. It was clear even to outsiders that the relationship between player and team soured, hence Buffalo being willing to eat this much cap space just to get him out of town:

To top it off, Diggs is going into his age-31 season, so the Bills shipping him off right in the middle of Josh Allen’s prime, and what the franchise hopes is a contention window, seems to say quite a bit.

Higgins, on the other hand, is just 25 years old with a pair of 1,000-yard seasons to his name already and hints of further upside as a possible No. 1 when he’s not sharing the targets with Ja’Marr Chase. There are availability concerns, but the acquiring team would likely sign him to a long-term extension.

The thing is, teams aren’t going to offer much better than what the Bills just got for Diggs. Clubs aren’t blind — Higgins is the long-term better option for the next three-plus years at a minimum, injury history aside. But when players like Diggs are available, when names like A.J. Brown get traded, names like Tyler Boyd remain free agents this deep into the market and a historic-looking wideout draft class is on the way, there’s no sense in coughing up a first-round pick.

The Bengals, it seems, have played it well. If a team really wants Higgins, it’ll offer more than what the Bills got for Diggs. Meaning a first-rounder at a minimum. And if not, Higgins will play next year on the tag with the looming threat of a double-tag (costly, but the cap keeps dramatically rising) hanging over long-term negotiations.

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Panthers still considered a top landing spot for Bengals WR Tee Higgins

Are the Panthers still a logical landing spot for Bengals WR Tee Higgins?

Even after the implementation of a franchise tag and a trade for a Pro Bowl-caliber pass catcher, the Carolina Panthers are still considered a potential landing spot for a certain wideout.

With Stefon Diggs on the move, Adam Wells of Bleacher Report recently named the best possible suitors for a few other big-name receivers—Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins and free agent Odell Beckham Jr. Wells marked the Panthers as a fit for the former:

Adding Higgins would dramatically improve the Panthers’ receiver room. They would have a bona fide No. 1 on the outside who can create plays deep down the field or in traffic.

Even if the Panthers had to trade the No. 33 pick, which is their first selection in the 2024 draft, they need to surround Young with as much immediate-impact talent as possible to determine if he’s the quarterback they thought he was when they selected him with the top pick last year.

If the Panthers want to make such a deal, it’d obviously have to come within the next few weeks.

Carolina currently holds the 33rd and 39th overall selections in the 2024 NFL draft. Those could appeal to the Bengals, who slapped Higgins with the franchise tag back in February.

But would the Panthers rather draft their own wide receiver with at least one of those picks and have him on a rookie deal or use one to trade for and immediately pay the 25-year-old Higgins?

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Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins praised Brian Callahan to DeAndre Hopkins

Bengals stars had nice things to say about their former offensive coordinator.

Cincinnati Bengals wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have signed off on Brian Callahan to at least one Tennessee Titans star.

Speaking at the NFL owners meetings this week, Titans wideout DeAndre Hopkins revealed that he got positive words from Chase and Higgins once the former Bengals offensive coordinator came over from Cincinnati to serve as the new head coach.

“I am very excited to get going under Brian’s offense, and his schemes,” Hopkins said, per Jim Wyatt of the Titans’ official website. “Obviously I’ve talked to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and those guys told me that I would love this offense, and I think the sky is the limit, especially with a guy like Calvin (Ridley). I am very excited for this offense.”

Chase and Higgins, of course, would know. And now Callahan looks like he will indeed try to emulate the Cincinnati system at least a little bit by having Calvin Ridley play a Chase-like role to Hopkins’ Higgins.

Hopkins scored seven times with 1,000-plus yards last year as it is, so he’s probably thrilled to hear about the possible upgrade, too.

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Bengals stress they want to keep Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on long-term deals

The Bengals speak on the Tee Higgins situation again.

The Cincinnati Bengals have remained adamant at all times about wanting to keep wide receiver Tee Higgins for the long haul.

As expected, that tune didn’t change at league meetings this week, where Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn said the desire is to keep both Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase on long-term deals.

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com summed up the topic:

_The contracts of three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and franchise free agent wide receiver Tee Higgins are still a focus. She indicated they’d like to secure both long-term.

Easier said than done, of course. But there’s no reason to panic over the Chase extension.

The matter of Higgins is more concerning now that he’s been franchise-tagged and submitted a trade request. While one report said the Bengals will pick up the phone and listen to trade offers, head coach Zac Taylor himself doesn’t sound like a guy who expects a trade to happen.

Cincinnati would be doing itself a disservice if the front office didn’t do due diligence and listen to any trade offers that come in, though another report says they didn’t hear much about a trade at the scouting combine.

Higgins playing out 2024 on a tag has always felt like the likeliest outcome and after a dramatic rise in the salary cap across the league, there’s a possible scenario where the front office considers a second franchise tag, which could impact extension talks.

Either way, the Bengals and Higgins have until mid-July to agree on an extension or he’ll play next season on the tag.

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Zac Taylor doesn’t sound like he expects a Tee Higgins trade

Bengals coach Zac Taylor is the latest to comment on a potential Tee Higgins trade.

The most important thing Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor discussed Monday at the NFL league meetings in Orlando, Florida, was the injury return timeline of quarterback Joe Burrow.

But the status of franchise-tagged wideout Tee Higgins wasn’t far behind.

Asked about a Higgins update after the trade request, Taylor made it clear he doesn’t think anything of the sort will happen.

“We’re excited for Tee to have a great year for us,” Taylor said, according to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We think he’s our best chance to help us win a Super Bowl. I’ve enjoyed working with Tee the last four years; I expect this year to be no different.”

This is the typical Taylor-type response to this situation, though it’s more notable than usual because it follows a recent report that suggested the Bengals are willing to listen to trade offers for Higgins.

Listening is quite different than actually trading, though. The Bengals wouldn’t be doing their due diligence if they didn’t at least evaluate offers, though what they probably want in return is more than other teams will suggest on top of needing to give Higgins a top-of-market extension.

As with Jessie Bates III a couple of years ago, the likeliest solution remains Higgins playing next season on the tag, which is essentially the minimum of what Taylor suggested Monday. The team and Higgins have until mid-July to work out a long-term extension.

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Report: Bengals ‘willing to listen’ to trade offers for WR Tee Higgins

Can the Patriots pry Tee Higgins away from the Bengals?

The New England Patriots have still yet to acquire a true No. 1 receiver nearly two weeks into the free agency period. That has caused frustrations with fans that coach Jerod Mayo publicly addressed at the NFL annual meeting on Monday.

The truth of the matter is there are a plethora of options still on the table for New England, including Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Bengals are believed to be listening to trade offers for the burgeoning star receiver, who is currently on a franchise tag.

“He wants out, he has made the trade request. I talked to a few teams who are interested who believe that the Bengals are at least willing to listen,” Fowler reported on “SportsCenter,” via Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells. “That’s a little softer than they might have been a year ago where they definitely were not trading him. So, teams are going to try to pry him out. New England’s been high-end shopping for receiver help, perhaps they try to give up a Day 2 pick to get Higgins.”

Luring Higgins to New England with the No. 34 overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft would be a huge get for the Patriots.

It would finally solve the receiver problem they’ve had since Tom Brady was still under center. Higgins would give them a legitimate elite vertical threat capable of attacking opposing defenses on the outside. It would also help fill one of their biggest needs in the draft.

Not only would the Patriots have to agree to a trade with the Bengals, they’d also want to sign Higgins to a long-term extension. It wouldn’t be cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but for a team considering drafting a rookie quarterback, it would be well worth the price tag.

Bengals ‘willing to listen’ on Tee Higgins trade, per report

An update on the Tee Higgins trade request and where the Bengals stand.

The Cincinnati Bengals, unsurprisingly, won’t ignore the phone if teams call about a Tee Higgins trade.

Saturday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler appeared on “SportsCenter” and said the Bengals have been open to calls on that subject (h/t Adam Wells of Bleacher Report):

“He wants out, he has made the trade request. I talked to a few teams who are interested who believe that the Bengals are at least willing to listen. That’s a little softer than they might have been a year ago where they definitely were not trading him. So, teams are going to try to pry him out. New England’s been high-end shopping for receiver help, perhaps they try to give up a Day 2 pick to get Higgins.”

The Bengals applied the $21.7 million franchise tag to Higgins early in the process and ahead of the scouting combine, though Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin attributed the quick tag to the increase in the NFL’s salary cap and not a desire to talk trades.

A report after the Bengals tagged Higgins said they didn’t hear much about a trade from other teams at the combine. The Carolina Panthers, a team that stockpiled extra draft picks recently, reportedly hasn’t contacted Cincinnati about Higgins.

Still, how the Bengals have talked about a Higgins trade compared to just one season ago is quite different and listening to what other teams might be willing to give up would make sense.

The looming threat of a second franchise tag next offseason after the dramatic salary cap increase could be an interesting factor to remember in the background here. The Bengals and Higgins have until mid-July to work out a contract extension, otherwise he’ll play the season on the tag.

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Report: Patriots looking into trade market for impact receiver

The Patriots are reportedly looking to the trade market at wide receiver

The New England Patriots are looking into the trade market for a veteran wide receiver, according to a report from Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan.

The Patriots missed out in the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes, with the former Jacksonville Jaguars leading receiver going to the Tennessee Titans. New England did make a series of moves at the wide receiver position, including cutting DeVante Parker last week and re-signing Kendrick Bourne.

They still have other in-house options with Demario Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton. However, the team still needs a No. 1 receiving target, and they could seek that player in a trade.

Caplan wrote:

Not only did the Patriots have serious interest in signing WR Calvin Ridley, but a league source with knowledge of the situation said the team has looked into the trade market for other veterans at the position.

As another source points out, New England has gotten little production out of the wide receiver position for years (especially drafted players), and they’re looking to add at least one impact player at the position this offseason.

The 2024 NFL draft is full of wide receiver talent, which means opportunities to hit on playmakers there as well.

There could also be an opportunity for New England to make a play at WR Tee Higgins before the draft if the Cincinnati Bengals decide to move him.

The latter would be the splash fans have been waiting to see, but even a rookie prospect would shake things up for the better in New England.

Report: Panthers not likely to trade for Bengals WR Tee Higgins

According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, the Panthers are not likely to trade either of their second-round picks for Bengals WR Tee Higgins.

Don’t expect the Carolina Panthers to flip yesterday’s pittance for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

On Monday, the organization finally put an end to the Brian Burns saga—trading the two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher to the New York Giants for some draft capital. The haul includes this year’s 39th overall pick, a swap of 2024 fifth-rounders and a 2025 fifth-rounder.

While the return is a bit of bummer, especially considering what the Panthers could’ve had for Burns 16 months ago, some have speculated that the 39th selection could be used to acquire Higgins. The 25-year-old, who is seeking a long-term deal of his own, reportedly requested a trade from the Bengals yesterday.

But according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones, there is no fire to go with that manufactured smoke. Jones tweeted this morning that no conversations have taken place between Carolina and Cincinnati and that a trade for Higgins is “not likely to happen.”

He also notes that the Panthers, who are in the process of rebuilding under new general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales, are unlikely to unload their picks for a veteran.

In addition to that No. 39 pick, Carolina is also in possession of their own second-rounder this spring—No. 33. And with the 2024 draft class being particularly deep at the wideout position, those selections could be used to double dip on a pair of potent (and relatively cheap) pass catchers.

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Bengals, Panthers haven’t talked Tee Higgins trade and deal is unlikely, per report

An insider shoots down a Tee Higgins, Bengals-Panthers trade idea.

The Carolina Panthers sure looked like a team loading up to trade for a star player such as Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins.

But a new report says not to count on it.

According to CBS Sports’  Jonathan Jones, despite the recent addition of draft assets, the Panthers haven’t made overtures about a Higgins trade to the Bengals: “With Carolina now in possession of picks 33 and 39, there had been some talk of packaging those in a trade for a player like WR Tee Higgins. A league source tells me no conversations have taken place between Carolina and Cincinnati, and a trade is not likely to happen.”

Those Panthers traded superstar pass-rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants, meaning they now own the first, 33rd, 39th and 65th picks in the top 100 of the draft.

Those picks in the 30-60 range would make for a standard-fare offering via trade for a player like Higgins. Compounding matters is Carolina’s droves of cap space that could afford a Higgins extension and the desperate need to make sure that Bryce Young, last year’s No. 1 overall pick, develops properly.

But…it takes two to make a trade happen and there’s nothing to say the Bengals are actually interested in trading Higgins despite his trade request.  Another report said other teams haven’t called the Bengals since they applied the franchise tag.

With the wideout market very slow right now ahead of an extremely deep draft class, teams like the Panthers might be more comfortable waiting on the draft instead of coughing up big assets and cash for Higgins.

That could change, of course, but the most obvious trade partner for Higgins, at least right now, hasn’t hinted at wanting to do a deal.

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